Web pages often display content provided by third-party servers. Various HTML elements are used to provide such content. For example, the HTML tag <IMG SRC . . . > often includes a fully-qualified uniform resource locator (URL) that causes the browser to retrieve and display a graphical image hosted by a third-party server, i.e., a server other than that which is hosting the main web page.
The serving of advertisements, such as banner ads, is one common application of such third-party provisioning of content. To display a web page including third-party-supplied advertising, a web browser first loads HTML content from the server hosting the web page. The HTML content typically includes an indication of the third-party location of the advertising, and, typically, an associated link to the advertiser's website. The browser typically executes a request to the third-party advertising host, which provides in return the media object(s) associated with the advertisement. The browser displays the media object(s) at the appropriate location on the web page.
A number of organizations issue online seals to websites that meet certain criteria, such as a certain level of reliability, maintenance of privacy of personal information, or adherence to business practices. Participating websites display a seal issued by the certification organization. For example, the Council of Better Business Bureau, Inc. operates the BBBOnLine® Reliability and Privacy Seal Programs. The BBBOnLine Reliability Seal confirms that a company is a member of its local Better Business Bureau, has been reviewed to meet truth in advertisement guidelines, and follows good customer service practices. Similarly, the non-profit TRUSTe™ organization issues an electronic seal image to organizations that adhere to TRUSTe's established privacy principles and that agree to comply with the TRUSTe oversight and watchdog consumer dispute resolution process. VeriSign, Inc. (Mountain View, Calif.) provides the VeriSign Secured™ Seal to sites that are protected by a VeriSign SSL certificate.
In order to prevent fraudulent use of their seals, most organizations enable the online user to verify the authenticity of the seal. Minimally, clicking on the seal opens a web page served by the organization, which indicates whether the website displaying the seal has been authorized to do so. More sophisticated techniques for preventing fraudulent display of seals have been developed. For example, GeoTrust, Inc. (Needham, Mass.) provides seals that include a live time/date stamp, and/or the name of the company displaying the seal. For example, techniques for displaying and confirming the authenticity of a seal are described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,114,177 to Rosenberg et al., which is assigned to GeoTrust and is incorporated herein by reference, and in a white paper by Rosenberg et al., entitled “True Site™: Helping on-line companies create trusted brands so their site visitors feel confident enough to stay and pay,” GeoTrust (November 2001), which is incorporated herein by reference. U.S. Pat. No. 6,658,394 to Khaishgi et al., which is incorporated herein by reference, also describes techniques for issuing electronic seals of certification to online entities.